A conventional shade for a hanging fixture has a wire peripheral frame covered by fabric and a plurality of spokes extending horizontally and radially inwardly from the peripheral frame meeting at a central ring. The central ring may or may not be notched to permit the central ring to encircle and rest on the fixture loop.
In order to attach the shade, the installer is required to first completely remove the fixture from the ceiling. The shade is then attached to the fixture in one of two ways. If the spokes and ring of the shade are to rest on the top of fixture, the fixture loop on the top of the fixture is inserted through the notch on the ring. Otherwise the body of the fixture, where components can be separated must be disconnected or loosened, and then the shade is inserted. Once the shade is inserted the installer reassembles, tightens, all the loosened parts of the fixture then reattaches the fixture and attached shade back to the ceiling.
There are a number of problems with the design of this type of shade and its method of installation. First the method is very time consuming and costly. If the shade is installed with the spokes and ring resting on the top of the fixture, the shade doesn't sit right because the area where it rests needs to be flat and horizontally leveled. Most fixtures have a fixture loop which is oval or round, preventing the shade from sitting properly. In addition the placement of the shade at this height may not be at a location that is pleasing to the eye.
If the placement of the shade is anywhere else along the fixture, then disassembling the fixture to allow fitting over/thru the spokes and ring will be required. The placement of the spokes and ring depend on whether the fixture components can be separated. The separation is limited to a few millimeters as any separation more than a few millimeters apart may cause the fixture to fall down. Generally, the gap is too small to fit the spokes and ring without sacrificing the safety of the fixture or fulfilling the standard requirements of CSA and/or UL.
Further the manufacturing or assembling of most fixtures starts from the bottom of the body and works its way to the top. With each section, there are securing nuts and bolts hidden inside to hold the body in place. Therefore, the proper method of disassembling a fixture should work from the top down, taking one component apart, one at a time. If this procedure is not followed, the inside becomes loosened, making re-fastening very difficult. Once again, safety will be an issue. In addition, most products, once taken apart, will void any manufacturers warranty.